A text away
by VivianaLockhart
Summary: TIVA STORY of course. If you don't like them please STOP! Sometimes I found myself being better articulating text messages than spoken words when it comes to the matters of the heart. I assume since Tony and Ziva are very complex characters, they might be as confident with text messages as I am. Every chapter of this fanfic might be really short since it's about text messages.
1. Chapter 1

Set in Season 4 at the beginning when Gibbs "retired" and left Tony in charge of the team…

Tony is in a Conference in Germany, he's about to get back to DC after two weeks…

"Zi, can't believe I'm about to get back. I'm bored here. T."

"I am heading to the office right now. Are you back today? Z."

"Yes, you have no idea what I'm bringing you. Lol. T."

"It is not necessary Tony, just come back soon. Z."

"Oh you miss me? T."

"Gotta go Tony. See ya. Z."

After 20 minutes Ziva got involved in a car crash chasing some Mossad operatives and ends up retained in Isaerli Embassy just as a precaution.

"Zi? What the hell happened? T."

Last text of Ziva that day…

"I might be in a very big trouble. Z."


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2**

Set when Ziva made friends with a victim of poisoning and after his death Tony was mean with her, out of line I would say…

That night Tony was sitting in his couch thinking about how mean he was with Ziva. In fact, he was actually jealous, but how sorry he felt after being jealous of a man who was dead.

"You were right, I was out of line. Sorry T."

Ziva wasn't answering. In a normal basis, she was usually eager to answer every text message Tony sent to her, but this was not the time. She was mad at him, in fact she was disappointed because she felt a little sad about the man, even she met him for a brief moment, she was sad.

"I know you're mad, I apologize. T"

"Please answer me. Tell me to go to hell if it makes you feel better. T."

"Are you gonna hate me forever? T."

Ziva finally gave up not answering Tony, however she wanted to know why was he mean that day to her, so she just asked…

"Why were you mean at me about him? Z."

That text took Tony by surprise, he wasn't willing to tell Ziva the truth, that he was jealous. He wasn't even sure about that, so he did what he was professional at…

"Because he was taller than me, lol. T:"

"I am tired. See you in the morning. Z." By then, Ziva was exasperated by Tony's annoying message. She knew something what's going on with him and she also knew he wasn't being truthful about it. But, as always, she decided to give up on it. It was the dance they do all the time.


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3**

Set in Season 3 "Undercovers" at the end of the day when Tony was brought home, he was beaten because all the punches he received. He couldn't believe she counted them. Never occurred to him she would do such thing, so he decided to ask her…

"Can't believe you counted the punches I received. T."

"It was hard to hear them. Z."

"You couldn't have done anything about it. T."

"I wanted to. Z."

"I know. T."

"It is late, go to sleep. Z."

"OK, and Ziva? T."

"What? Z."

"Thank you **_sweet cheeks_**!. T."

"YW! **_mon petit pois_**. Z"

With that, Tony just smiled at his phone, it was the way she said it that make him think more about being close to her. The way she flirts with him and just when seems they're gonna get together, she backs up. This game is just starting but he's enjoying it as much as she does.


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4**

Set in Season 3 where Tony and Ziva were trapped in a Metal Box, he found out she has offered to cook dinner for almost the entire team but Tony.

Later that night she offered to cook Italian for him and he couldn't been more grateful. She was a very good cooker and after he left her place he texted her…

"Gibbs was right you really know how to cook. T."

"I am glad you liked it. Z."

"I loved it. You reminded me my Grandma's cooking. T."

"What?. Z."

"Don't take it wrong my ninja. I meant the way she used to cook for me. T."

"Oh, thank you, Anytime. Z."

 _Just when she pressed the send button, she realized she practically offered him to cook for him whenever he wants. But, just when she was regretting her last text, another text came in…_

"Only when you want to. Sweet dreams. T."

"See you in the morning. Z."

 _Tony's last text was really sweet and considerate. Maybe he wasn't that childish guy at all who only thinks in himself and lives his life as if he was in a movie. He's actually more than that and she was willing to find out more about him._


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER 5**

Set in Season 4 when a Real State Woman found a dead marine in a house she was showing off for sale. That guy had two fiancées and both were claiming to be the one for the man. McGee and Tony stayed the whole night trying to build the case while Ziva was arriving early in the morning. Tony was feeling like he needed to clean up himself and grabbed Ziva's deodorant from her desk and, she busted him…

Late that night…

"Why were you so fond about your deodorant?. T."

"You are disgusting Tony!. Z."

"Come on! I heard your snoring during a whole night. Did I complain? T."

"Like a little girl, besides the whole thing of my deodorant was gross! Z."

"So, when the time comes will you complain about my sweating? ;) T."

 _Ziva knew what he was talking about but didn't want to let him know she knew…_

"What do you mean?. Z."

 _Of course, Tony was a master in these kind of games and answered…_

"Keep playing dumb my ninja, I could play this game over and over, but only with you. T."

 _And the flirtations started again with Ziva asking…_

"And why is that?. Z."

"Because for now, it's fun! J T."

"And what will happen when it does not get funny anymore?. Z."

"We'll get into the serious stuff, my ninja. T."

 _Ziva decided not to answer back. She preferred to stay silent in this one afraid they might get into the serious stuff sooner than later._


	6. Chapter 6

A TEXT AWAY…

CHAPTER 6

My deepest apologies for the delay. My flash drive in which I have the advance of my fanfics is missing and I've been looking for it for quite some time. I haven't found it yet. However, I'll keep writing and saving it in my computer instead.

This is set after the fiasco of Jeanne and Tony. When she accused him for murder and they finally saw each other after some time in the bullpen.

Tony was pissed mostly because she accused him of being a murderer. He couldn't imagine himself killing somebody for the sole act of killing. He sure killed before but in the line of duty, in self-defense or defending his team, but this was outrageous.

But what took him by surprise was Ziva's words, so precise, so direct. Damm, she really was a woman in all extents. She was like the voice of his conscience, somebody who could truly read him. That scared the hell out of him because he felt vulnerable. Ziva has that effect on him. He thought. At what time she turned into his voice of conscience?

Her words echoed his mind "Be a man Tony! Tell her what she needs to know!" Never felt so emasculated in his life. Later that night he decided to contact her…

"Just wanted to say thank you, T."

"What for? Z."

"For making me say what it was needed to be said to Jeanne, T."

"You know? She needed to know it was not real, Z."

"What if it was? T."

"You would not be texting me, you would have resigned and be looking for her. Z."

Tony looked at Ziva's last message and didn't know what to say anymore… As cue of what was happening, Ziva decided to send another message…

"You are not Tony Dinardo, you are Very Special Agent Anthony Dinozzo from NCIS, that should be enough. Z."

Ziva was confident with her last message he'll feel better and also without doubts of the whole mess…

"I'm also something else **_'sweet cheeks'_**. T."

"Yeah, you are my **_'hairy butt'_**. Z."

"Thank you, you always makes me feel better. Sweet dreams **_'ninja'_** , T."

"Get some rest, **'** ** _moi petit pois'_**. Z."

With that Ziva gave some thought about if Jeanne was just an assignment of if Tony, her Tony fell in love with her. That thought surrounded her mind until she got asleep…


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER 7**

Set in Season 3 when Abby was mad because she needed to rebuild an equipment smashed into one thousand pieces and Ziva said it was necessary…

In the elevator…

 _ **Abby: Are you going home?  
Ziva: Not yet.I thought I might be able to help you with (gestures to the box Abby's carrying) that.  
Abby: Do you have a degree in forensic science?**_ __  
 _ **Ziva: No, but I'm very good at jigsaw puzzles.**_  
 _ **Abby: We'll see.**_

After few hours, Ziva came back to the bullpen to grab her things. Tony was concerned about Ziva trying to get Abby's good side but Abby was being kinda mean at her so he decided to stay. He looked at Ziva and she had a sad face after all.

Later when he was at this apartment, he decided to send her a text and see how she was doing…

"Hey are you ok? T."

"How do you have my cellphone number? Z."

"I'm a very special agent Ms. Daaaviiid. But, seriously how you doing? T."

"I guess McGee will have some explanation to elaborate tomorrow. I am fine. Z."

"Are you? Look, Abby is not a person who likes changes. T."

"I have noticed. She does not like me. Z."

"Is not that. She was friends with Kate, and now she's gone. T."

"Yes, I guess I will give her some time. Z."

"For instance, I like your wild way of being ;) T."

"I guess, you are quite a character too. See you tomorrow. Z."

After the last message Tony thought people will come together accepting Ziva as the way she is.

 _ **A/N: I'm not quite sure about this one but it was in my mind and I decided to give it a shot. Hope you like it.**_


	8. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER 8**

Hello dear friends, I have been through some difficult times and had to stop writing for a while and start focusing in some problems I had. For now, things are getting better bit by bit, so I will get track on my fanfics and try to update them properly.

In this particular one, even every chapter was regarding a text message after something happened, this time the text message might be short but all the previous things explaining it might be larger. I also, took the exact quotes of the discussion between Tony and Ziva in the episode "Aliyah", because an intense scene like that is worth to be remembered. I also, put some thoughts of Tony (from my imagination) that could have been through his mind while the discussion, hope you like it.

Set when Tony killed Michael in the line of duty and was brought to Mossad HQ in the episode "Aliyah".

The complete violent discussion was echoing in his head, he could swear he never has been witness of a furious Ziva, the one everybody was always imagining but never showed up until that exact time. When she felt betrayed by her father, by Mossad, by NCIS, but especially by him, the man who made her soft, made her human, the man she trusted the most. She couldn't believe in him when all things were confusing, when the lines were blurry.

Tony never imagined the time of knowing Ziva's anger in its full extension would come and never the less provoked apparently by his actions. He knew deep inside there was jealousy mixed with concern of Ziva being played by her people but even though he was feeling completely lost of the outcome of it…

**FLASHBACK** (Contain Tony's thoughts during the confrontation)

 _TONY:_ _ **"I had no choice"**_ He truly believed that, Michael was about to kill him. ** _  
_** _ZIVA:_ _ **"That's a lie"  
**_ _TONY:_ _ **"Why would I lie to you, Ziva?**_ He knew he would never lie to her, he couldn't even if he wanted.

 _ZIVA:_ _ **"To save your worthless ass"  
**_ _TONY:_ _ **"From who? Vance? Mossad?"**_ At that point, he didn't care about his own career, only Ziva's safety.

 _ZIVA:_ _ **"You jeopardized your entire career, and for what?**_

 _TONY:_ _ **"For you. He was playing you, Ziva.**_ _ **"**_ He knew at that point it wasn't just a sense of justice or defending a friend being played, he really cared, and the realization of that was hitting him like a ton of bricks. ** _  
_** _ZIVA:_ _ **"For some reason, you felt it was your job to protect me?**_

 _TONY:_ _ **"I did what I had to do.**_ _ **"**_ At least, he truly believed that. ** _  
_** _ZIVA:_ _ **"You killed him."  
**_ _TONY:_ _ **"If I hadn't, you'd be having this conversation with him. Maybe that's the way you'd prefer it.**_ _ **"**_ He knew it was uncalled to be saying that but she was caging him. ** _  
_** _ZIVA:_ _ **"Perhaps I would!"**_

 _TONY:_ _ **"Why don't you just get this out.**_ _ **You want to take a punch, take a swing? Get it out of your system! Go ahead, do it!"**_ At this point, the feeling of defending himself was overwhelming him or maybe the jealousy of Ziva's passion defending her former boyfriend.

 _ZIVA:_ _ **"Be careful, Tony, because, much like Michael, I only need one.**_ _ **"  
**_ _TONY:_ _ **"And that's what you're really angry about, isn't it? That's what's bothering you.  
It's not that he's dead. It's that your Mossad boyfriend got his ass kicked by a chump like me."**_ He knew it wasn't entirely true. Michael was drunk, kind of tripping in his own steps and he was angry at him for playing Ziva, for being in her apartment, for taking advantage of her. ** _  
_** _ZIVA:_ _ **"You took advantage of him."  
**_ _TONY:_ _ **"He attacked me. What was I supposed."**_ Why trying to explain, she wouldn't even listen.

 _ZIVA:_ _ **"You saw a glass table, you pushed him back, you dropped him on it. He was impaled in the side by a shard of glass, bloody, gasping for air!"**_

 _TONY:_ _ **"I guess you read my report.**_ _ **"**_ He knew Michael wasn't a sweet little bunny, so Ziva defending him was a cheap task. ** _  
_** _ZIVA:_ _ **"I memorized it! You could have left it at that, you could've walked away, but no, you let him up! - You put a bullet in his chest!"**_

 _TONY:_ _ **"You weren't there.**_ _ **"**_ Never imagined getting physical with Ziva this way, maybe some other forms of physical altercation but not this one.

 _ZIVA:_ _ **"You could've put one in his leg!**_

 _TONY:_ _ **"You weren't there.**_ _ **"**_ What a line of defense Dinozzo. ** _  
_** _ZIVA:_ _ **"But I should've been!"**_

 _TONY:_ _ **"You loved him.**_ _ **"**_ Oh, that was the statement of the year, he knew he needed to listen the answer because he was losing it. ** _  
_** _ZIVA:_ _ **"I guess, I'll never know."**_

After what seemed to be WWIII he tried to get in his feet, Ziva was fuming and left him in the ground and entered inside Mossad HQ. After fighting with Ziva, a Mossad officer was passing by, and helped Tony regain his composure. From the look in that man's eyes, he knew what was like to confront Ziva and his sympathetic look said it all. Tony thanked the guy and tried to adjust himself to go and join Vance and Gibbs. He was trying to look for her, he wanted to explain it to her, but in a most calmed environment. She was nowhere to be seen, he tried to look for her only being contained by Mossad Officers, so by the time they were supposed to get back to DC already in the plane he asked for her only getting a glare as an answer…

Tony was uncertain of what was happening, if it was Ziva's choice why was he feeling bad? What's wrong with the whole situation? Was it temporarily or permanent? He needed to reach her, he was praying that she was keeping her usual phone number so he decided to go for it…

"Hey, don't know if you still have your usual phone number. T."

"What do you want? Z."

"To know what's going on? T."

"I decided it is best for me to stay here with the people I trust. Z."

"You mean MOSSAD? Your FATHER? Oh wow, guess you never got it. T."

"What? Leave me alone… please. Z."

"I'm gonna miss you, you know? Please take care of yourself. T."

"Sorry it never worked it out. Z."

With that, Tony was way too confused. What does she mean with her last text? She was referring about the mission? The work in NCIS? Their friendship? Or becoming more than friends?. Too many questions without answers.

The flight was tiring and the only he could do was getting some sleep. Knowing they were one short would only make things harder.

 ** _A/N: Hope you like it. I know it's different from the way I've been writing in this fanfic but that's how I pictured it in my head._**


	9. Chapter 9

**CHAPTER 9**

After reading all chapters of my fanfic so I wouldn't repeat any situation, I decided to give my daughter the credit of the idea. She asked me to write one chapter after Ziva's apology in Season 7 "Reunion" at the men's room.

Set in Season 7 after Ziva apologizes to Tony in the men's bathroom. He left her perplexed, she was just apologizing when he took her by the shoulders and told her she was a genius only for saying "You were thinking like a cop". It didn't make any sense to her, so after long hours, Psych evaluations and multiple staring from most of NCIS agents in the building and that serious and emotional talk with Gibbs she was finally ready to go to the nice lodge the Navy offered her to stay while she was looking for a place.

Ziva was making some tea when she decided to establish contact with the one person who jeopardize everything for her…

"Hey, did your case get a resolution?" Z.

"HEY! Yes, thanks to you. How you doing?" T.

"Fine, you know? Psych evaluations over and over and well, I am just tired" Z.

"But you know it must be done, right?" T.

"Yes, I just wish everyone would forget what happened, you know?" Z.

"I know it's hard, but it'll pass, I promise. Now go to bed and rest, we need you here, ok?" T.

"Okay, goodnight Tony, and thank you, for everything" Z.

"Good night ninja, you're welcome" T.

With that, Ziva went to bed with a lot to think but most importantly she was needed in the team and she knew if she could go through this, she'll be fine.


	10. Chapter 10

**CHAPTER 10**

 **A/N: And I got into Chapter 10. Just wanted to remind you that each chapter is individual I'm not writing a sequence of stories in this fanfic and maybe that's why I'm able to update this more than the others. However, I'm glad for the ones sticking in here reading these humble pieces that I'm sure sometimes are not that good or easy to read. Thank you guys!**

 ** _Set in Season 7 in the episode where the mother of Layla and grandmother of Amira pay Coronel Bell to kidnap them finding out later how well were their girls and making peace with Mike Franks._**

 ** _Tony was amused at the way Ziva was looking at Amira. In the immediate time they arrived she almost run to carry the girl and talk to her as if she needed so much the interaction, Ziva seemed familiar to talk to Layla also. Maybe it was about the part of the world both used to live in or because what each of them lived in there but at that moment, looked like Layla and Ziva could be friends and maybe and just maybe whenever Ziva wants to have kids, Layla would be the one she'll go for advice, help or just comfort._**

Tony's POV…

 _What am I thinking? Ziva and kids in the same sentence? Why not? She looked so comfortable with Amira in her lap and she also looked so motherly type… Motherly type? What's wrong with me? So now am I looking for a mother? A mother of my children? Ziva? Oh God… I think I'm spending so much time at that dam bullpen… But, if I can imagine my life with Ziva, God forbid me to think about having her pregnant or having my babies… But on the other side, I can't think of any other way. I'm so screwed._

 ** _He couldn't help it, he kept thinking about it until it was midnight and even tough was very late he decided to send her a text to find out what she thinks regarding that matter, just for fun or for something else…_**

"Knock, knock Sweetcheeks" T.

"Hey Tony, what is going on?" Z.

"I was thinking in things" T.

"You WERE thinking. Come on Tony! It is late" Z.

"Do you ever think about your life? About what if you would have a different one?" T.

 ** _By this point, Ziva sat in her bed because he got her attention, she was trying to figure out what was up with Tony and now that she forgot how tired she was, she decided to give it a shot…_**

"Tony you seem preoccupied" Z.

"With all this family matter I've been thinking about me and how would be my life with my own family, I just can't picture it, I mean, I imagine how would be but don't know if it's right" T.

 ** _By then, Tony noticed how long his last text was, and at the same time seemed he wasn't saying a thing when Ziva's text came…_**

"What made you think all that?" Z.

"The moment I saw YOU carrying Amira in your lap and playing with her, your voice changed when you talked to her, your features softened and for a moment you seemed really happy" T.

 ** _There it was, Tony was entering in very dangerous field in there not knowing what she would think about his last text._**

"Children are very sweet human beings and I don't know, some of them make my heart… how do you say it? Z.

"Melt. Some children make your heart melt. Never thought you will use such a word my ninja" T.

"Do you want kids? Z.

 ** _Plain and direct, as Ziva always was. She was afraid of what she might be transmitting to Tony but at the same time she was curious and even Tony could lie to her about it just to escape from the real answer he decided not to…_**

"Today, I felt like I do, thanks to you. Goodnight Sweetcheecks, we'll have plenty of time to talk about this, ok?" T.

 ** _He didn't know if it was advisable to keep up with the conversation, but for now there was a kind of promise to explore that topic with his best friend, his buddy and the woman that takes his thoughts every single day._**

 ** _On the other side of the line or better said of the text a surprised Ziva kept reading the last text over and over, she didn't know how to answer it just when she was about to go to bed sleepless she decided to answer:_**

"We will! Goodnight my hairy butt" Z.


End file.
